Mahayuti Registers Big Win in Maharashtra Civic Polls; BJP Strengthens Urban Hold, Says PM Narendra Modi
Mahayuti Registers Big Win in Maharashtra Civic Polls; BJP Strengthens Urban Hold, Says PM Narendra Modi
Voters across Maharashtra have delivered a strong mandate in the 2026 municipal corporation elections, giving a clear edge to the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance in most urban local bodies. As counting progressed on Friday, it became evident that the ruling alliance had not only retained its dominance but also expanded its footprint across key cities, while the opposition struggled to make significant gains.
Out of the 29 municipal corporations that went to the polls on Thursday, the Mahayuti alliance was set to form governments in 24. The BJP emerged as the single largest party in 21 corporations, improving its performance compared to previous civic elections. In three major cities—Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli and Ahilyanagar—the party’s allies, the NCP and Shiv Sena, were leading with the BJP close behind. In several corporations, Mahayuti partners occupied both the top and runner-up positions, leaving the opposition MVA with limited influence in urban governance.
Reacting to the results, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the verdict reflected public faith in the alliance’s commitment to clean governance and growth. He stated that people voted for the BJP-led Mahayuti because they wanted “honesty and development,” adding that the alliance had secured a “record-breaking mandate” in many municipal corporations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also responded to the outcome, thanking the people of Maharashtra for their support. In a message shared on X, he expressed gratitude to voters for backing the NDA’s agenda of people-focused and effective governance. He said the results showed that the bond between the NDA and the people of Maharashtra had grown stronger, with the government’s development track record and future vision striking a chord with citizens. He described the mandate as encouragement to accelerate progress while celebrating the state’s rich cultural heritage.
Modi also praised NDA workers across the state, saying he was proud of their dedication. He noted that party workers connected directly with citizens, highlighted the alliance’s achievements and future plans, and countered what he described as misleading narratives from the opposition. He extended his best wishes to them for their tireless efforts.
Despite the sweeping performance by the ruling alliance, the opposition managed to secure wins in five corporations—Latur, Malegaon, Parbhani, Vasai-Virar and Chandrapur. Congress emerged as the single largest party in Chandrapur and Latur, while in Parbhani it led in alliance with Shiv Sena (UBT).
Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal acknowledged the outcome but said the party’s struggle went beyond electoral victories. He said Congress had fought “an ideological battle irrespective of wins or losses,” adding that the results indicated the party could still have mayors in five cities with around 350 corporators across Maharashtra.
In Vasai-Virar, the Bahujan Vikas Aaghadi (BVA), led by Hitendra Thakur, registered a decisive win by securing 71 of the 115 seats. The BJP and Shiv Sena, which contested together in the corporation, finished second with 44 seats.
Malegaon turned out to be the BJP’s weakest performance in the civic polls. The Indian Secular Largest Assembly of Maharashtra (ISLAM) party, floated by former NCP MLA Asif Shaikh, emerged as the single largest party with 35 of the 84 seats. AIMIM came second, while the BJP managed to win only two seats in the powerloom town.
In Parbhani, both factions of the NCP contested, but only the Ajit Pawar-led group secured representation with 11 seats, while the Sharad Pawar-led faction failed to win any. Commenting on the outcome, Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sushma Andhare said the contest reflected “a fight between money power and people’s power,” claiming that the latter prevailed.
Political observers believe the results point to a larger shift in Maharashtra’s urban politics. Dr Sanhita Joshi, assistant professor in the department of civics and politics at Mumbai University, said the shrinking presence of opposition parties suggested “a structural narrowing of political alternatives.” She added that ideological differences among major parties have increasingly blurred, especially on core issues related to urban development.
